Lancer had no idea how much of a ripple his phone call had caused. The previous accidental encounter with the 'Binge Eater' had already spread throughout the 20th ward branch. Lancer body being covered in injuries and the other investigator still recuperating in the hospital had made many newbies who had never seen the power of an SS-rank ghoul understand what kind of 'monster' they were about to face.
They indeed had the ghoul-killing specialized bullets 'Barrett.' If they fired a volley, they could directly kill some weak ghouls, but against those powerful ghouls, they would probably be killed in an instant before they could even see the enemy's face, let alone fire their guns. Now, hearing that Lancer had found the 'Binge Eater' again, almost everyone couldn't help but shiver.
"What are you still hesitating for! Everyone, follow me and attack! We must capture the 'Binge Eater' this time!"
Kureo Mado, as the commander of this operation, almost grabbed his box and walked quickly out of the branch office as soon as he heard the communicator's report.
"Everyone, follow me! Besides the people on standby, everyone else, depart according to your previous teams!"
Although Koutarou Amon always had a humble expression in front of Kureo Mado, it couldn't hide his authority as a First Class Investigator. The reason he was so respectful to Kureo Mado was not only because the other person had saved him several times but also because he had come to understand the other person's strength during this period of time together, so he would not hesitate at all to follow his orders.
"Mr. Mado, how about we go first..."
"No need, that kid Lancer has already promised me. He won't act recklessly. We just need to set up the perimeter, and this time, we must surround and kill that 'Binge Eater' here!"
At this moment, the somewhat hunched middle-aged man exuded an aura that could be called 'terrifying.'
There was no doubt that because of Lancer arrival, a large net was converging towards a certain location, but while everyone was rushing there, one person's eyes flickered, and he took out his phone and sent a message.
...
Lancer, who was closely following Rize Kamishiro and Ken Kaneki, only felt like he had received a critical hit of ten thousand points of reality. He even started to wonder if something was wrong with his guess.
The two of them were walking around the city as if they were a normal couple on a date. If it weren't for the 'familiar' feeling that Rize Kamishiro was exuding, Lancer would have even wondered if the other person had actually fallen in love with Ken Kaneki.
"Second Class Investigator Lancer, we have already set up a one-kilometer perimeter around you. What's the 'Binge Eater's' location now? Are there any other people around who might affect our operation?"
"The 'Binge Eater' is currently disguised as an ordinary person. There is a male with her, the specific situation is unknown, and it cannot be ruled out that the other person is a ghoul..."
Lancer naturally knew that Ken Kaneki was not a ghoul, or rather, not a ghoul yet, but he couldn't explain how he had this information, so he simply reported it in the manner he had learned in the training camp. But even so, his eyes were still fixed on Rize Kamishiro, after all, who knew when the other person would make a move on Ken Kaneki?
But just as he was reporting the situation to Kureo Mado, Rize Kamishiro suddenly took Ken Kaneki and walked towards the gap between two buildings...
Lancer subconsciously quickened his pace because the other person had left his sight. It would only take a moment for her to make a move on Ken Kaneki.
"'Binge Eater' has entered the gap between Jinshi Building and Shenhui Mall with the male. I suspect the other party may be preparing to 'feed.' Requesting to close the net!"
"Request received! Permission granted! Second Class Investigator Lancer, please proceed with caution!"
"Yes! First Class Investigator Mado!"
After ending the communication, Lancer no longer hesitated and walked over quickly. But when he reached the entrance of the gap, he had a bad feeling in his mind.
He was holding a briefcase in his right hand and he extended it first.
"Pfft~!"
Accompanied by the sound of fabric tearing, the briefcase was suddenly pierced through.
The strange black rinkaku mixed with blood color had already revealed its owner's identity.
The bloody spear from the white box appeared in its owner's hand. At the same time, he cautiously looked into the alley. At this moment, Ken Kaneki's clothes, which had been meticulously taken care of by their owner, were covered in his owner's blood. And Ken Kaneki, whose face was also covered in blood, was looking at Rize Kamishiro, who was constantly dancing with her kagune behind him, with an expression of terror.
It was clear that he couldn't believe that the Yamato Nadeshiko-like woman who had been discussing novels with him just before was a ghoul, and that she had just tried to eat him.
The pain on his body and his almost-crashed mind made him sit on the ground like a puppet.
"I thought it was that crude man who had no taste, but I didn't expect it to be you, Investigator Lancer."
At this moment, Rize Kamishiro's attire was very different from before. If Rize Kamishiro that night gave people the feeling of a succubus exuding hormones and attracting the gaze of men, then today, in her long dress, hat, and intellectual glasses, she was full of a fragile feeling that made men want to protect her.
But unfortunately, as she said, she was facing a crude man who had no taste. Compared to the other person's charm, his gaze was more focused on the kagune behind her, and he could even feel the wounds on his body throbbing.
"I didn't expect you, 'Binge Eater,' to dare to show up in the 20th ward openly. It seems like you're prepared to lose your life here."
Lancer words made Rize Kamishiro squint her eyes.
"It seems that you are very confident today, Investigator Lancer. Is it because there are other people ambushing around? I was hoping to 'spend another night' with you, but you went and found others..."
The ambiguous words, paired with the other person's gentle tone, were enough to make people's minds wander, but unfortunately, there was no one present who would be affected by her. After all, one person was lying on the ground, and the other was the 'protagonist' she was talking about.
It was unclear whether it was because of Lancer cold attitude or because she was wary of the 'reinforcements' that were sure to be there, but when she saw that Lancer was no longer talking and was just standing in a ready stance, staring at her, she also stopped talking, and her entire being exuded a cold feeling.
And Lancer, who was standing in front of her, felt a cold gaze on his back, and the spear in his hand subconsciously thrust forward ——————
"Clang~!"
The quinque made of kagune and the rinkaku made a metallic clash in the air, and Rize Kamishiro, who was originally standing still, appeared in front of him at some point.
'Oh no!'
"Bang~!!"
Lancer, who was hit in the wound on his side abdomen by a punch, was slammed hard against the wall of the building next to them. But the pain in his side abdomen also made him calm down again.
'I don't need to defeat her. Even keeping up with her speed is difficult for me right now. Survive! Only by surviving is there a future!'
He glanced at Ken Kaneki, who was being ignored by Rize Kamishiro. He gripped the spear with both hands and thrust it into the wall next to them. As he forced his body to stop in mid-air, he saw the kagune pass by the sole of his shoe, and he couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. That was close.